voidtreckerexpress | A new platform [intro post September]

For those on the train

“Good morning passengers, it is day one of the month of Bassoon.” The train announces the morning the month changes. It seems the train counts months in days of thirty. Team Points have been updated on the system.

The day continues as most days do, chores, eating, getting ready for another day. But those who suspect that a change of month may bring something else are correct. It is only an hour or two later that there is another announcement.

“Shortly arriving into a designated void platform. Exit from void imminent.”

By now they should know to hold on as the train jerks and jolts. There is only fog outside the windows but the train soon comes to a stop. The doors hiss open.

As they exit into the fog they may notice Evie exiting from the luggage carriage door. Much like Hibiki the last time they were on a platform. She leaves the train, backpack on her back as she walks through the station. She heads no call, reacts to no words and cannot be stopped as she walks to the ticket barrier and disappears through it.

Strange. But even stranger still is that there on the platform that whole time is Evie. Dressed in purple, backpack on back, with her are others. Waiting for the train.

For new arrivals

At first all they can see if steam. Billowing around them as they come to their senses. They are standing, in clothes that are not their own, styles they might not even recognise. They are carrying a rucksack on your back. For a moment it seems to just be them, alone in the white haze but then the steam begins to fade and they realise they aren’t alone.

The platform is not very large, but it hold twelve figures all facing the tracks, all wearing similar clothing. The tracks stretch left and right into steam, or perhaps fog. Nothing can be seen to either side. There is a wall around the platform and the only entrance is a ticket barrier. It cannot be open, nor do there seem to be any staff.

What there is, is a train. Jet black and gleaming where it stands on the rails.Voidtrecker Express is emblazoned in the engine in gold. There is a hiss as the doors slide open.

Out step a selection of people, some less human than others, wearing clothes just like those worn by those on the platform.

The Train

The doors hiss open. Those from the train may encourage those on the platform to board. It’s not like there is anywhere else to go and even if there was, you feel a pull. A need to board, a feeling that staying on the platform would not be a good thing.

Once on board there is lots to explore. Passengers both old and new will hopefully be delighted to see the boredom of this train journey is somewhat alleviated by the introduction of a game carriage. Plenty of games, both familiar and new to play with your new travelling companions.
Each ICP shows the same message. If Red team go and look they will find a box in the luggage compartment that contains their prize. A dralite themed cake lolly each. There are enough for the new members of Red team too, share in your teams previous success!

The food stores have been topped up with new fresh food. Salmon has taken over as the primary ingredient of choice. Hopefully everyone likes fish!

New passengers will find their tickets allow them into their cabins. They may need to negotiate for beds, especially if they want a top bunk!

Room is tight but there are storage cubbies at the head of each bed, beds fold up and the bottom bunks double as benches for the small table. There is storage under those benches and you will hopefully find a pillow for your bed if it has not been nabbed by a roommate, there are also spare blankets for if it gets cold.

Departure

A second horn sounds to encourage any stragglers and the doors slide shut. For those who boarded two weeks ago they will know what is coming next.

The train sets off, the fog obscuring the view as it picks up speed.

"Welcome aboard, passengers of the Voidtrecker Express.” A female-coded artificial sounding voice echoes throughout the train. "Please take the time to read the passenger information displayed on the Information and Communication points and familiarise yourself with the layout and emergency exits."

The train begins to tilt, leaving the ground and rising up into the fog filled sky.

"Entrance into Voidspace imminent. New passengers are advised to remain seated."

Hopefully someone warns you that you really want to heed that warning because a moment later there is a shudder, a jolt, a lurch to the left. A flash of light, colourful and blinding.

As quick as it happens it is done. The train seems to steady. The fog from the windows is gone now, replaced with a kaleidoscope of ever changing colours.

Welcome to voidspace.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

He laughed. "Well, for example..." he rearranged the board so that a Prince was in danger. "Most Queens I play with?" He moved the Queen to protect the Prince, even though it put the Queen in danger. "This is why they need us."

He watched as Khardeen moved the pieces and nodded as he understood. "So they try and protect you and are in danger so you got to protect them back!"

He understands that very well. Often when his friends are in danger he just acts without thinking, this sometimes gets him into trouble. But he never feels sad about protecting his friends.

"That's why teamwork is important!"

He nodded. "You got it, except here is the thing... Anyone can be trained to defend and protect. But Queens are important, and they are rare. Only they can heal the Land. Only they can sing to the Darkness properly. We need them to lead, we need them to rule, and we need to know they are safe because serving is part of what we are. So when a Queen puts herself into danger like that, she isn't just risking her own life, she is risking the lives of everyone who depends on her." He grabbed a Warlord from his own side. "If I had to be, I could be replaced." He set the piece aside. "But if the Queen is killed?" he picked up his Queen. "Game over. On and off the board."

The queens in Khardeen's world could heal the land and sing to the darkness? They sounded very important. Like gods or... Other important people like that. He's sure there are such in other worlds as well!

He nodded earnestly. "They are the boss and the most important person, so even though they want to keep everyone safe they got to know that they got to be safe too and let everyone else do their job!"

"Exactly." he agreed, reaching over to ruffle the kid's hair. So even when they are stronger than we are, which is most of the time, honestly, we still serve and defend and protect them, because letting them risk themselves when there is no need is dangerous and stupid. And besides," he grinned a bit. "If we die in combat we don't have to deal with them being *****ed off at us after."

He nodded, "But they will be sad if you die." Still it would be better than them dying. Best was that no one died at all though.

"Thank you for showing me chess, mister Khardeen!"

"They will be, but they'll heal. Besides, the High Lord will help me adjust once I'm dead. If it saves my Queen, any of the queens I love, I'll be fine with being dead. More fine with it than they'll be. But they'll have the others to take care of them."

Romeo nodded, it would be sad but it would better than Khardeen's queen being dead. He looked very serious for a moment.

"That's a big thing to think about." He said after a moment.

He nodded. "It is. But to be a good man, to serve, it is something we have to start thinking about. Char was too young by most accounting to have to think about such things, but he had to anyway, and he was one of the best Warlord Princes I've ever met," he said softly, missing a friend who was gone. His usual smile was also absent.

Romeo nodded seriously, knowing that Khardeen was trying to tell him an important lesson. He didn't know who Char was but he guessed it was one of Khardeen's friends.

"Did he die?" He asked softly. Romeo didn't know anyone who had died. Or rather he knew a lot of people who were dead, himself included but he had no memories of anyone dying nor had any of his friends in heaven ever died. But it would be a very big, bad, sad thing if they did.

"Long before I met him. We think he was probably even younger than you when he died. He became a leader for the Demon Dead children," he said softly.

"Oh." So he was more like a shinki or a ghost. Romeo nodded, "He was the leader? I bet he was very brave!"

Leaders are, as a rule.

"He was. He could have faded into the Darkness long before, but he stayed for the others. And when Witch needed his help to end the war, he like all the other Demons, gave all he had left."

He sounded like a very very brave person. Romeo smiled a small sad smile. "I am glad you got to know a friend like that. He sounds like the type of person who makes everyone braver and everything around him better than it was before."

The best kind of person, really.

"Thanks. And that is what we all try to be. Part of being a Blood Male. Especially Warlord Princes like him. Most of my best friends are Warlord Princes, so I've gotten a really good view of the personality. I may not have the Caste, but I can emulate the best parts." Then a grin. "even if the Coven disagrees as to what the best parts are."

Romeo nodded, it was good to try and be like all the best parts of your friends. That way you all made each other stronger and better.

He grins back. "Thank you for telling me so many things sir! I should probably go and look at the rest of the train though now!"

There was a lot left to explore after all.

"Sure thing. We can play chess again anytime you want. Word of advice though, avoid playing chess with any woman you don't want to be tempted to throttle."

"I will sir..." He sounds a bit confused. He's never wanted to throttle anyone in his whole entire life so he wouldn't want to hurt anyone he was playing chess with. That wouldn't be a good thing to do at all!

Still he smiled and waved at Khardeen. He had been nice and taught him after all. "I'll see you soon sir!"

And with that he skipped off, a whole train to explore.

He waved and smiled before cleaning up and vanishing the chess set. That kid was going to make a good First Escort some day. Possibly even a Master Of The Gaurd.

A new platform [intro post September]

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Thank you for the thread!